1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to methods for reception of Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) in a wireless communications system and mobile communications devices thereof, and more particularly, to methods for selectively receiving MBMS in multiple connections in a wireless communications system and mobile communications devices thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a typical mobile communications environment, a user equipment (UE) may communicate voice and/or data signals with one or more service networks via cellular stations of the service networks. The wireless communications between the UE and the service networks may be in compliance with various wireless technologies, such as the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) technology, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) technology, Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution (EDGE) technology, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) technology, Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA 2000) technology, Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA) technology, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) technology, Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, LTE Advanced (LTE-A) technology, and others.
To enhance multimedia functions in the mobile communications environment, a multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) service has been introduced to the LTE specification so that TV, film, information such as free overnight transmission of newspaper in digital form and other media may be broadcast or multicast in the networks. MBMS is a point to multipoint service for data transmission from a data source to multiple users.
To meet requirements associated with growth in network data, carrier aggregation (CA) has been proposed for the LTE-A systems to increase bandwidth for specific users. In CA, two or more Component Carriers (CCs) are aggregated in order to provide wider transmission bandwidths of up to 100 MHz. The CA may be applied to aggregate both contiguous and non-contiguous CCs. It may also be possible for the CA to configure a UE to aggregate a different number of CCs originating from the same evolved Node B (eNB) and possibly, different bandwidths in the uplink (UL) and the downlink (DL). The UE may simultaneously receive or transmit radio frequency (RF) signals via one or multiple CCs depending on its capabilities. A record of a configured set of CCs aggregated for signal and data transmission may be maintained by both the UE and the eNB for keeping information regarding to the configured CCs for the UE.
Generally, the UE capable of CA should receive all of MBMS data transmitted on the CCs configured by the service network. The service network can remove or add a CC in a configured set of CCs of the UE. However, the UEs capable of CA may still need to receive the same MBMS data on the CCs transmitting the MBMS even if the same the MBMS data is transmitted on the CCs, thereby resulting in power consumption.